Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “masturbate” come from?

Masturbate comes from Latin masturbari, derived from Latin manus meaning hand, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European man-, with the second element from Ancient Greek τύρβη and Proto-Indo-European twerH-.

masturbate (English): To stimulate oneself sexually, especially by use...

Definitions

  1. To stimulate oneself sexually, especially by use...

Ancestry of “masturbate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmasturbationManual erotic stimulation of the genitals or...
2Frenchmasturbationmasturbation
3Latinmasturbatiomasturbation
4Latin-tiō—
5Latindissertātiō—
6Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
7Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “masturbate”

  • masturbating
  • masturbatory
  • masturbator
  • masturbatic
  • nonmasturbatory
  • masturbatorily
  • masturbatrix
  • nonmasturbating
  • masturbater
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →